Read Online Another Cup of Coffee by Jenny Kane - Free Book Online

wished he’d left it all alone. Kept it buried. Never sent it back. For now Amy was here, in Richmond, he’d have to explain. He’d have to face all the guilt he had run away from.
    Kit couldn’t speak. She extracted her hand from Jack’s grip and replayed his words in her head. “I never loved anyone like her.” It went through her like ice. He’d said it twice. Twice. And the music! Amy and Jack together had taken music as their own. But that’s what she , Kit, did with Jack. Had done, anyway. They’d frequently had entire conversations in song lyrics; it was rarer in these days of parenthood and responsibility, but they still did it now and again. Bile rose in Kit’s throat as she had a vivid recollection of dancing around the kitchen to David Bowie a few days before, her daughter watching with mystified disdain. It seemed ridiculous now. Worthless.
    â€˜Kit?’ She was vaguely aware that Jack was talking to her, his hazel eyes clouded with confused concern. ‘What’s the matter?’
    Kit studied his face like it was new to her. He really didn’t know. He genuinely had no idea that he’d just cut her to the bone. “ I never loved anyone like her.”
    Plus a tape. They had been going to make a tape of all the songs that had reminded them of each other, the important events in their lives, the things they’d said and the places they’d been. Jack had never got round to making it though. It had never mattered before, but suddenly Kit felt cheated.
    â€˜Kit?’ There was an edge of panic to Jack’s voice as he watched his friend stand up, her legs wobbling beneath her. Jack grabbed her arm, ‘Where are you going? What is it? What’s up?’
    Pulling herself free from his grip, Kit hoisted up her bag. She wasn’t sure how far she’d get, but she knew she had to leave. Turning towards Jack, a complex conflict of emotions etched onto her neat round face, she glared at him as he sat, a mass of incomprehension. ‘You like to express yourself with music? Go listen to our tape. Oh, of course, you can’t, can you, ‘cos you never bloody recorded it. Did you! ’
    Jack wasn’t sure how long he’d been sat there. He felt exhausted. It had cost him so much, telling Kit all that. Never in his life had he been so open with anyone. Even when he’d come out, he’d never gone into details about his feelings. He shook his head as if trying to remove the image of Kit’s ashen face when she’d stalked out. He had truly thought she’d understand. Kit always understood.
    With a hazy realisation that the café was crowded, and that other customers were looking for a seat while he cradled an empty mug, Jack got up, uncertain what to do. Was this how Kit had felt when he’d walked out on her the other day?
    He’d go for a walk. He’d go to work. Anything but think, because he wasn’t sure what the hell to think.
    Kit?

Twelve
    October 7 th 2006 – 1.00am.
    With his duvet clenched around his shoulders, Jack attempted to get comfortable in bed. Turning over, he untangled the sheet that had somehow become looped around his legs. But even when he finally felt cosy, he was unable to prevent himself from thrashing through his conversation with Kit. Conceding a win to his subconscious, Jack gave in, and allowed himself to remember ...
    June 2 nd 1995
    Jack could hear her laughing even before he opened the pub door. It was an infectious, light laugh that always started in her eyes. He loved her eyes, probably more than the rest of her. Kit knew that though; she knew this was for fun, and that was exactly what he needed.
    His recent experience in Nottingham had unnerved Jack more than he cared to admit. He really ought to think about it properly, but if he acknowledged to himself that it had gone well, felt right; then he’d have to face the bigger truth, and he wasn’t ready